I read Sheridan Hay's, The Secret of Lost Things. Not a great read, not a bad read. Recommended by a friend so I sort had to oblige. Not every book can be a mental challenge!

Started the French reporter, Anne Nivat's book on the wars in Chechnya, Chienne de Guerre: A Woman Reporter Behind the Lines of the War in Chechnya. Chienne de Guerre translates to: Dog of War. I have read a few books on the two Chechnyan wars and it is a heartbreaking subject.

The Supreme Court has turned away a challenge from former House Majority Leader Dick Armey and other Social Security recipients who say they have the right to reject Medicare in favor of continuing health coverage from private insurers.

No one has to 'accept' Medicare. For most people, Medicare Part A is free, if they have accumulated 40 work credits. A credit is earned for each quarter of 'creditable work'. Over the life of Meicare this has changed dramatically, however, in 2013 a person earns a credit if they earned 1,160 of 'covered' earnings in a quarter (3 month period). Earn 40 quarters and receive Medicare Part A free. If a person does not qualify for free Part A then they will be charged a premium for Medicare Part A coverage.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, pays for Medicare Part B. There is no such thing as free Medicare Part B. Another agency (State Medicaid for example) might pay your premium, but someone is going to have to pay your premium for you to receive Medicare Part B. However, if you don't want Medicare Part B, you simply DECLINE the coverage. No one has to accept Part B.

If an individual wants to have private insurance then they can purchase it on the 'free' market. Grandpa goes to the doctor, throws down his private insurance card and the doctor's office bills the private insurance. No one has to accept Part A. A person can have private insurance even if they are entitled to free Part A. A person can have Medicare and their own private insurance. If a person chooses to have private insurance, while they qualify for free Medicare Part A (based on their work credits), then Medicare simply becomes their Secondary Insurance. Armey is pretending that a person must have Medicare. The court declined to hear this case because it would be a remarkable waste of their time.